I can’t tell exactly when I saw the flashing lights for the first time. I know the time I first consciously noticed them was about half a year ago, but by then it was already with a “this again” sentiment. I must have seen them in passing a few times before that I just can’t put my finger on when or where.

Not that it matters. They were nothing spectacular, really. Just a sort of strobe light, that seemed to come out of the windows of otherwise empty rooms or buildings at night.

I didn’t think too much about them at first, but after a while they seemed to pop up more frequently, though never twice in the same place, so I started to get curious.

One weekend night I was out late and didn’t have anything better to do, so when I saw the flashing light again I decided to investigate its origin.

This time it was coming from a row of abandoned shopping premises in a less than busy street. It was reflecting off the inside walls of one of the empty stores, the source itself not directly visible, but it appeared to come from somewhere in the back.

The store in question wasn’t locked up; in fact there wasn’t even a door in the frame anymore, so I could just walk inside to have a look. I stopped and listened for a second, to make sure there wasn’t anyone else in there, who maybe didn’t want to be disturbed, but then again if there was someone here trying to conceal their presence, they were certainly doing a shitty job. Anyway, the only thing I heard was a faint noise that sounded a little like static.

The noise, as well as the flashing was coming out of another empty doorframe on the far end of the left-hand wall, which I supposed led into a storage room.

Slowly and tensely I walked along the wall, up to the opening and peeked into the room.

I never properly got to see what the source of the flashing was, because it was so bright I got immediately blinded. I stumbled backwards away from the doorframe. Luckily there wasn’t much left in the shop for me to trip over.

After a few minutes my vision returned, but something was different. The flashing had ceased, but whatever had caused it had left a strong afterimage that now danced before my eyes. Not a clear image, mind you – all I it was at first was a fuzzy rectangle – but a very strong one. Even hours later it hadn’t started to fade. In fact, it never really went away at all.

I don’t see it anymore when my eyes are open, but every time I close them it’s right back, as strong as in those first hours. But that’s not what worries me, what worries me is that the afterimage changed.

First it started to become clearer which took a few days, but finally all the fuzziness was gone and I could see it as sharp as a photograph. But it kept changing even after that, changing in ways that shouldn’t even be possible.

What I see now, in burning bright, ever-changing colors, every time I close my eyes is quite clearly a door. A door that gradually opens, one tiny bit at a time, every time I look at it.

I haven’t slept in a few days now. I am afraid to. I’m taking amphetamines to keep myself awake and I’m desperately trying to keep my eyes open as long as I can.

Because by now the door is half open, I can see what’s behind it and IT can see me too and I have no Idea what will happen when it gets through.